Product News: Robotics

Simulation Software simplifies robotic pick-and-place design.

Press Release Summary:

May 7, 2014 -
Combining RobotStudio and PickMaster 3 technologies into one bundle, Robot Studio Picking PowerPac simplifies design and programming of complex robotic picking-and-packing systems. Optimizing systemsÂ in 3D virtualÂ environment before they are built in real world increasesÂ picking line performance while accommodating for such risks as variations in product inflow. Once cell configuration is complete, software providesÂ fully functional picking cell simulation.

The RobotStudio Picking PowerPac boosts the performance of picking lines, allowing systems to be optimized in the 3D virtual world before being built in the real world, with the risks in designing picking lines — such as the variations in the product inflow — thoroughly tested and refined before costly mistakes are made on the production line. The software allows for the improvement of existing lines configured using PickMaster 3 by recording current product flow with cameras and then feeding them into the Picking PowerPac for validation and optimization.

“As a company we put a lot of effort into creating solutions that are truly innovative and address real needs among our customers,” says ABB Product Manager Klas Bengtsson. “With the Picking PowerPac, we have combined the precision, power and reliability found in all ABB Robotics software with the ease-of-use and simulation capabilities of RobotStudio.”

The Picking PowerPac software bundle allows users to configure the product conveyors, pick and place locations, gripper functionality, definition of each product to be handled, and configuration of all products and components included in the picking system. Once the cell configuration is complete, the new software provides a fully functional picking cell simulation with accurate robot performance information. The complete RobotStudio model is then ready to be transferred directly to the robot controller for cell operation.

“The Picking PowerPac allows systems integrators and end users alike the ability to easily design and develop picking simulations that will eventually run in the real world. All of the system adjustments in PickMaster 3 are available in this add-in, to accurately optimize single and multiple robot picking simulations,” adds Rick Tallian, ABB packaging products and applications manager.

The new software will be especially effective in programming the high speed picking and packing IRB 360 FlexPicker robot, the most widely used Delta robot in the industry. The IRB 360 family now includes variants with payloads of 1 kg, 3 kg, 6 kg and 8 kg and reaches of 800 mm, 1130 mm and 1600 mm.

About ABB ABB (www.abb.com) is a leader in power and automation technologies that enable utility and industry customers to improve their performance while lowering environmental impact. The ABB Group of companies operates in around 100 countries and employs about 150,000 people.